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Book Excerpt: What Is the L-1 Visa?

Giselle Carson discusses the L-1 visa in depth in her book, Beyond the H-1B: A Guide to Work Visa Options for Employers, Foreign Nationals, and Graduating Students, available on Amazon.Here is a brief excerpt from the L-1 visa chapter.

L-1 Visas are a useful and effective vehicle for multinational companies to establish or expand their presence in the U.S., and to bring in qualified personnel.

For example, the owner or manager of a manufacturing company abroad who wishes to expand to the U.S. could be sponsored for this visa. A staff member who possesses specialized knowledge of the company’s products, services, operations, or proprietary techniques might also be eligible for this visa.

Due to the limited number of H-1B visas, the L-1 is currently the preferred visa used by global companies to transfer executives, managers, and employees with specialized knowledge to the U.S.

The L-1 has several advantages over the H-1B, such as no annual cap; no minimum education requirement; no prevailing wage obligation; and no internal posting necessary. However, there must be a specific qualifying relationship between the petitioning U.S. employer and the foreign entity.

Additionally, the entities must continue to have a viable business and qualifying relationship while the transferred person is in L-1 status.